VDesktops

[jgpaiva]

This is a program i had already done some work on, and found it was worth making it a bit more complete.

It's a simple virtual desktop manager. Almost as simple as it gets!
It is limited to 4 virtual desktops: 3 "normal" virtual desktops and one (named as 0) where all the windows appear.

It is mostly hotkey based, although it has a minimalist gui too.
The hotkeys are defined as follows:
  windows + 0: show desktop 0
  windows + 1 / 2 / 3: show corresponding desktop
  windows + left / right: show next desktop
  windows + shift + 1 / 2 / 3: add window to that desktop
  windows + c: show the "changer", which allows you to change desktops using only the mouse.

Windows cannot be removed from desktops (that's still a problem to be solved), but each window can appear in more than one desktop.

Now... Why did i make it?
2 reasons:

• low memory usage (about 3mb)
• It's a script!

This program being a script means i (and anyone else) can change it to suit my own needs!
Of course, source code in AHK is in the zip package. I only ask for recognition if you decide to change it and distribute it.

VDesktops - v1.003 - January 2, 2007

    * Fixed bug mentioned on reply #2 (window wouldn't disappear right away when added to a different group)

VDesktops - v1.002 - January 2, 2007

    * Fixed bug where Win+Left / Win+Right would crash the script
    * Fixed misplacement of "changer"
    (thanks deozaan!)

VDesktops - v1.0 - December 31, 2006

    * First public release.


WHAT IT DOES:
This is a simple virtual desktop manager.

SCREENSHOT:


note: if when using the program, something disappears, don't be scared, that's the point. To bring everything back, press Win+0

[Arjen]

Really nice to have a small utility like this for managing virtual desktops, thanks!

A few issues:

• On startup, all windows are shown on all desktops. You have to add windows to groups/desktops first for the program to become usable. I think it's a nice feature to have the option to show a window on all desktop and definitely worth keeping, but I think it's confusing the way it works now.
• When I add a window to a group that isn't the active group, the window doesn't disappear until I change desktops.
• When I add a program to a group, and then later add it to another group, it seems to be included in both!
• Give us a nicer icon than the standard AHK one!

[jgpaiva]

On startup, all windows are shown on all desktops. You have to add windows to groups/desktops first for the program to become usable. I think it's a nice feature to have the option to show a window on all desktop and definitely worth keeping, but I think it's confusing the way it works now

-Arjen (January 02, 2007, 08:12 AM)

Actually, i made that on porpouse, since i used it more to hide programs from view. But i've also noticed it confuses people, it shall be changed

When I add a window to a group that isn't the active group, the window doesn't disappear until I change desktops.

-Arjen (January 02, 2007, 08:12 AM)

Makes a lot of sense, fixed

• When I add a program to a group, and then later add it to another group, it seems to be included in both!

-Arjen (January 02, 2007, 08:12 AM)

That's intended to be like that, so that a window can be in more than one desktop but not in all of them. The problem is that there's no way to remove windows from groups. I'm thinking about how to do it.

Give us a nicer icon than the standard AHK one!

-Arjen (January 02, 2007, 08:12 AM)

You are absolutelly right, there should be a better icon. But i suck at art.. If anyone is available to do an icon, please step up!!

[Arjen]

• When I add a program to a group, and then later add it to another group, it seems to be included in both!

-Arjen (January 02, 2007, 08:12 AM)

That's intended to be like that, so that a window can be in more than one desktop but not in all of them. The problem is that there's no way to remove windows from groups. I'm thinking about how to do it.

-jgpaiva (January 02, 2007, 08:22 AM)

How about this: when you add it to a group it's already in, it will be removed.

You are absolutelly right, there should be a better icon. But i suck at art.. If anyone is available to do an icon, please step up!!

How about these? :-)

[jgpaiva]

How about this: when you add it to a group it's already in, it will be removed.

-Arjen (January 02, 2007, 08:31 AM)

The simplest solution is always the best! Thanks, i'll do it like that

How about these? :-)

-Arjen (January 02, 2007, 08:31 AM)

The problem is that most of those can't be used in other people's work, inly for private use. The silk iconset can be used for this, but i couldn't find any appealing icon. This requires a more thorough search.

[Laughing Man]

Very nice! Took me a while to realize you had to add windows before it would work. But it's good!

[mystique1]

I haven't figured it out yet    How do add windows to it?

[jgpaiva]

I haven't figured it out yet    How do add windows to it?

-mystique1 (January 03, 2008, 08:26 AM)

You press windows key + shift + 1 to add the current window to desktop 1. Then, if you press windows key + 2, only windows on the desktop 2 are displayed, thus the window you added to desktop 1 is hidden.